Harvey test for Trump

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has visited Texas to survey damage from the first major natural disaster to test his leadership, as record rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey lashed Houston and tens of thousands of people fled deluged homes.

The storm turning slowly in the Gulf of Mexico has brought catastrophic floods to Texas, killing at least 12 people and paralysing Houston, the US’s fourth most populous city.

Damage was expected to run well into the tens of billions of dollars, making it one of the costliest US natural disasters.

City officials were preparing to temporarily house some 19,000 people, with thousands more expected to flee the area as the flooding entered its fourth day and authorities found themselves running out of space in cramped shelters.

The Houston mayor announced an indefinite midnight to 5am curfew amid reports of looting, armed robberies and people impersonating police. Nearly a third of Harris County was under water, an area 15 times the size of Manhattan.

Harvey has affected nearly a fifth of US refining capacity, sparking fears about lack of fuel and sending gasoline futures to a two-year high.

Although Houston residents saw patchy sunlight for the first time in days late on Tuesday afternoon, forecasters warned 15cm to 30cm of rain was on the way.

Residents within 2.4km of a chemical plant in Crosby were also ordered to evacuate due to the rising risk of an explosion and leak.

Mr Trump, speaking in Corpus Christi near where Harvey came ashore last week, said he wanted the